Darlington, the heart of our Northern Heaven, has been having a makeover - and very nice it looks too ! The 1875 statue of industrialist Joseph Pease has been moved a few yards to its original position - the poor fellow was pushed out of the way in 1958 to make room for more motor cars. Joseph didn't invent pease pudding as two youngsters told me when I was taking some of these photographs ! He was however instrumental in starting the new town of Middlesbrough, extending the Stockton & Darlington Railway to what was called Port Darlington, on land which he had bought to transport coal from his Durham collieries. Middlesbrough then was just a tiny fishing village. Joseph's efforts were the beginnings of the modern Middlesbrough. Joseph owned collieries and became very wealthy. He was a Quaker and a great philanthropist having schools built and became involved in the movement for the abolition of slavery. He became the first Quaker Member of Parliament. These events in his life are depicted in the panels at the base of the statue. Anyway, the statue has been away for a good wash and brushup and once more looks very impressive. 
Foreign holidays are wonderful ! But home is where the heart is !
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